Royal Ascot will see 35 races offering total prize money of £10m Royal Ascot starts on Tuesday with three top-level Group One races on the opening day kicking off the action in style. Around 250,000 spectators are expected over five days for a meeting that mixes high-quality racing with summer fashion. In the opening Queen Anne Stakes, Lead Artist is set to clash again with the three horses behind him in the Lockinge Stakes: Dancing Gemini, Rosallion and Notable Speech. Top sprinters Asfoora and Believing head contenders in the King Charles III Stakes before the St James's Palace Stakes sees a fascinating rematch between this year's first two in the2,000 Guineas- Ruling Court and Field Of Gold. "It's the biggest five days in our sport - our shop window, where it's where you want to perform," William Buick, rider of Notable Speech and Ruling Court, told BBC Sport. "Everyone turns up at Royal Ascot in tip-top shape, they want to win and it makes it ultra, ultra competitive. So Royal Ascot, to us - it is the be-all and end-all." The weather is set fair for the week, with the going likely to be good to firm. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be hoping for a Royal winner with Reaching High in the Ascot Stakes on Tuesday. Royal Ascot racecards and latest racing results Field Of Gold went on to win the Irish Guineas after being a fast-finishing second at Newmarket to Ruling Court, who was a late withdrawal for theDerby at Epsomthis month. Buick feels the ground was softer than the official going description of good at Epsom. His mount will enjoy conditions at Ascot, with dry weather expected. "He was never going to be able to run on his favourite ground at Epsom, which is fast ground. The call was made purely in the interest of the horse, nothing else. Royal Ascot should suit a lot better. The forecast looks like it's in our favour," he said. Field Of Gold's run at Newmarket, where he made late ground but could not catch the winner, saw jockey Kieran Shoemark lose his role as number one jockey for trainers John and Thady Gosden. Colin Keane was aboard for the Irish triumph and has since been appointed retained rider for owners Juddmonte. Despite the controversy, Buick felt his mount was a worthy victor and Shoemark will bounce back. "I thought my fella just kept pulling out more. He possibly handled the track a little bit better than Field of Gold, and I thought on the day he was a decisive winner," said the two-time champion jockey. "I spoke to Kieran afterwards and he seems to have really taken it very well, and he's riding plenty of winners. He's going to put this behind him and he's going to carry on and have a very, very good career." Buick, with 36 victories, is second behind Ryan Moore (85) and Frankie Dettori (81) - who is now based in the United States - among current jockeys for Royal Ascot wins. And he would dearly love to be the week's leading rider, having come close and even matched Moore with five wins in 2012 but missed out due to countback on placed horses. "I think Ryan beat me on seconds one year, didn't he? I was gutted. I thought I had it. That's one I'd love to tick off," he said. 14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) one mile 15:05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) six furlongs 15:40 King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) five furlongs 16:20 St James's Palace Stakes (Group 1) one mile 17:00 Ascot Stakes (Class 2 handicap) two miles, four furlongs 17:35 Wolferton Stakes (Listed) one mile, two furlongs 18:10 Copper Horse Stakes (Class 2 handicap) one mile, six furlongs Wednesday:Aidan O'Brien, who has a record 91 Royal Ascot winners and has been the meeting's leading trainer 13 times, will look to increase his haul in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. O'Brien saddles Los Angeles, who again faces Anmaat after just edging him out to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Thursday:Ladies' Day features the Gold Cup where Buick rides 2024 runner-up Trawlerman. Hewill not have to tackle retired two-time champion Kyprios but has another strong O'Brien opponent in Illinois. Friday:Buick is looking forward to partnering the "hugely talented" Shadow of Light in the Commonwealth Cup. The day's other Group One race, the Coronation Stakes, features in-form Zarigana for French trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. Saturday:The meeting's final Group One race is the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. Lazzat for Jerome Reynier and the Kevin Ryan-trained Inisherin are among those fancied, as is O'Brien's Storm Boy. More Thunder, trained by William Haggas, is a leading player in the Wokingham Stakes. King Charles and Queen Camilla had their first Royal Ascot winner with Desert Hero in 2023 A tradition that began with King George IV in 1825 will celebrate its 200th anniversary. The Royal Procession down the Berkshire track precedes the start of racing each day and King Charles III and Queen Camilla are again expected to attend. They will hope to be celebrating success as racehorse owners with Reaching High, based with Willie Mullins - the first Irishman to train for the reigning monarch. Reaching High was bred by the King's late mother Queen Elizabeth II. One of the chief dangers could be stablemate Poniros - owned by Brighton and Hove Albion supremo Tony Bloom - who was a 100-1 winner at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Royal Ascot ready for racing's 'biggest five days'
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"Royal Ascot to Feature 35 Races and £10 Million in Prize Money"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Royal Ascot is set to commence on Tuesday, showcasing a total of 35 races with an impressive prize pool of £10 million. The event is expected to attract around 250,000 attendees over its five-day duration, blending elite racing with a vibrant summer fashion atmosphere. The opening day will feature three prestigious Group One races, starting with the Queen Anne Stakes, where Lead Artist will face off against the competitors who trailed him in the Lockinge Stakes, including Dancing Gemini, Rosallion, and Notable Speech. In addition, the King Charles III Stakes will highlight top sprinters Asfoora and Believing, while the St James's Palace Stakes promises a thrilling rematch between this year's 2,000 Guineas contenders Ruling Court and Field Of Gold. Jockey William Buick emphasized the significance of Royal Ascot, describing it as the pinnacle of the sport where competitors arrive in peak form, making it a highly competitive environment. The weather forecast indicates favorable conditions for the races, with the ground expected to be good to firm, which should benefit the horses participating in the events throughout the week.
As the week unfolds, notable jockeys and trainers are preparing for their respective challenges. Aidan O'Brien, who holds the record for the most Royal Ascot victories, will aim to add to his impressive tally with Los Angeles in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, where he will face Anmaat once again. The highlight of Thursday will be Ladies' Day featuring the Gold Cup, where Buick will ride Trawlerman against strong competition from O'Brien's Illinois. On Friday, Buick is particularly enthusiastic about riding Shadow of Light in the Commonwealth Cup, while the Coronation Stakes will see in-form Zarigana competing. The final day of racing will culminate with the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, showcasing top contenders including Lazzat, Inisherin, and O'Brien's Storm Boy. This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession, a tradition initiated by King George IV in 1825, which will take place before each day's races. King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to attend, hoping for a victory with their racehorse Reaching High, bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, which adds a personal touch to this prestigious event.
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